Jamaica in severe crisis - Brown

PRESIDENT OF the Jamaica Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Pastor Everett Brown, has said that after 50 years of Independence, Jamaica is in a severe crisis. However, he indicated that all was not lost.

"We are in deep crisis, but there are immense opportunities for us as a young nation to collectively bring about meaningful changes that will place this country on the path to achieving her 2030 vision. Our vision for the future of this nation is stated this way, 'Jamaica, the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business'," noted Brown.

According to Brown, who was delivering the main address at Friendship Primary School's inaugural prayer breakfast at the Spanish Town-based institution on Sunday, if the 2030 vision was conceived on the premise that the solution to the country's problems was mainly economic, then failure loomed.

"But, if God becomes the centre of our lives, there is hope for this nation. For us to achieve this goal, this vision, we need a radical transformation of the way we operate in this country. As a people, we need to repent of our transgressions and return to God," he warned.

Speaking against the theme 'Spiritual, Physical and Educational Restoration', the pastor said repentance was not only about making public statements about missed opportunities.

"I am not just expecting public statements to be made saying I'm or we are sorry. I am expecting to see before restoration, drastic, radical changes being made to the way we operate at every level of the society, from the Government, the agencies of the government to the private sector and the individual citizen," he pointed out.

He added: "The Government of the day alone cannot bring about the changes that are needed for national transformation and restoration. Parents, teachers, the church and business community all play their part in this national restoration process."

Likewise, Brown opined that a radical transformation of the educational sector was also critical to charting the way forward.

"Education of our people, especially our youth, is invaluable to national development. And in this regard, parents, students, teachers, PTA, the Ministry of Education, the Church, and the family must effect serious changes in the way we operate before restoration can take place. Lack of education is largely to blame for the high level of crime and violence in the society," he said.